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Tottenham officials are now set for transfer talks with a £24 million forward via his agent, coming after he seriously troubled Liverpool stalwart Virgil van Dijk.

Spurs expected to sign another attacker this summer

Spurs have already sealed a deal to extend Timo Werner's loan by an additional season, which includes a new buy option set at around £8.5 million.

The German's two goals and three assists helped manager Ange Postecoglou seal qualification for the Europa League in his first full season in charge of Spurs, with Werner's blistering pace and positional awareness now set to assist the Australian again.

There are, however, concerns over his finishing ability - with the likes of Richarlison and Bryan Gil also linked to high-profile exits before deadline day. Girona are in talks to sign Gil from Tottenham, according to club insider Paul O'Keefe, while Richarlison is attracting interest from Saudi Arabia.

Postecoglou may need another body in the forward area, whether that be a star new winger or striker, to replace Harry Kane and potentially Richarlison.

There are a fair few attackers under consideration at N17. Lille striker Jonathan David has reportedly been contacted by Tottenham, while Wolves winger Pedro Neto is thought to be a serious transfer target for Postecoglou, as is Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze.

"There is appreciation from Spurs for Eberechi Eze of Crystal Palace - and also with all of the other options we always mention here like Pedro Neto, this is absolutely confirmed," said reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano on Playback earlier this month.

"So Tottenham like Eze and like Pedro Neto, and they have decided how much they want to spend in that position. So there is internal conversation, but they will bring in one more player in that position for sure - one more offensive player."

Other interesting names are likely to be mentioned in the coming weeks, if the wait goes on for Spurs to bring in a new forward. There is a player who could tick multiple boxes for Postecoglou, though, in Galatasaray star Baris Yilmaz.

Tottenham officials set for talks with Yilmaz via his representative

According to Sabah, Tottenham officials are set for talks with Yilmaz via his representative, with the 24-year-old fresh off the back of a great season at club level and impressive campaign at Euro 2024.

The Turkey international racked up 19 goal contributions in all competitions last season, and most recently gave van Dijk a very tough time at the Euros during his country's quarter-final tie with the Netherlands.

“Baris Alper made the Dutch defence and Van Dijk vomit blood throughout the match," said Turkish pundit Ali Ece, in a glowing endorsement of Yilmaz.

“Look, in some teams, the stars and the players we describe as great characters can have a say in the transfer process but cannot make decisions. I think Van Dijk has suggested Baris Alper to Liverpool because I have not seen another player that has pushed and worn him out this much for a long time.”

With just over three weeks until the Premier League returns, clubs across the continent are busy with pre-season and planning their next course of action in the transfer market, and Tottenham Hotspur are no different.

It's been a promising summer for Ange Postecoglou's side thus far. The signing of Archie Gray is a clear sign that his project is a long-term one, and the wins over Hearts and Queens Park Rangers are encouraging indicators of the squad's current fitness.

However, with the market staying open for another five weeks, there is still plenty of work to be done, and it looks like the club are going to make the most of that time.

Recent reports have linked them with an exciting young player who could be Destiny Udogie's ideal rival and has shades of Gareth Bale about him.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Italian publication Calcio Lecce, Tottenham are one of several sides interested in signing Danish left-back Patrick Dorgu.

Alongside the Lilywhites, the report has revealed that Arsenal and Napoli have been in contact with Lecce to discover the youngster's price tag, while Chelsea could soon do the same.

This level of competition is obviously far from ideal for Spurs, but the good news is that if they get ahead of the chasing pack, they'll only have to pay around €30m, which is about £25m, to secure the 19-year-old's services.

This may still sound excessive for a player so young, but given his performances last season, the way he is spoken about by those in the know and the similarities to Bale, it could be a bargain.

How Dorgu compares to Bale and Udogie

Now, before looking at how Dorgu stacks up against Udogie, let's first look at how he could be compared to a younger Bale.

The primary reason is that, like the Welshman in his younger days, the Dane is an incredibly progressive left-back who could easily be transformed into a winger in the right system, akin to the former Spurs ace.

For example, U23 scout Antonio Mango described him as possessing a great deal of "pace and power," giving him "almost equal presence at both ends of the pitch." This is incredibly beneficial for the team as "his reading of offensive situations is mighty impressive."

Moreover, according to Mango, he is also "adept at taking defenders on" thanks to his impressive "close control" and "absurd acceleration."

This all sounds an awful lot like the kind of player Bale was during his pomp, the sort of player who'd spot the space, drive into it at breakneck speeds, and then either rifle the ball into the back of the net or lay off a teammate.

So, with the similarities with the iconic full-back turned winger, how would the 19-year-old "diamond", as dubbed by Mango, fare as a rival for the Lilywhites' current first-choice left-back?

Well, when it comes to comparing the relevant underlying numbers, the results are surprisingly even, with the "explosive" Dane, as Mango described him, coming out ahead in nine metrics and his potential teammate doing so in eight.

Interestingly, the Lecce gem emerges victorious in more attacking metrics, such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, actual non-penalty goals, shot-creating actions, shots and shots on target, and key passes, all per 90.

In contrast, the former Udinese star looks better in more defensive areas, such as tackles won, ball recoveries, blocks, and interceptions per 90.

Ultimately, while it is still too early to say whether Dorgu could surpass Udogie as Spurs' starting left-back, it is clear to see that he would offer a real challenge for a place in the starting lineup and that, alongside his comparisons to Bale, make signing him a no-brainer.

With Tottenham Hotspur set to use the summer transfer window to sign the next generation of stars in N17, the Premier League club have made an approach for a sought-after teenage talent.

Levy looks towards the future with new transfers

Whilst the arrival of big-name stars will no doubt dominate the headlines this summer, Spurs deserve plaudits for their clever business during the early passages of the transfer window.

One of the north London outfit's early moves saw them secure the signing of Archie Gray from Leeds United. The 18-year-old arrived at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium off the back of a breakout campaign that saw him pick up the Championship's Young Player of the Season award.

It is likely that Gray could be striking up a midfield partnership with fellow teenager Lucas Bergvall. The 18-year-old was signed from Swedish side Djurgarden back in February and joined Spurs officially at the start of this month.

Spurs' search for young talents has also seen them enter negotiations for Aston Villa's Jacob Ramsey. At 23 years of age, the Englishman is slightly older than Levy's previous signings, though Ramsey is still a player with a bright future ahead of him.

With Tottenham's pursuit of high-potential players showing little signs of slowing down, Spurs have now made an approach for a youth international from Serie A.

Spurs set to race for 19-year-old talent

As relayed by Sport Witness, the Italian press are claiming that Spurs are one of the numerous clubs in the picture to sign Lecce’s Patrick Dorgu this summer. The outlet states that the left-back is a target for Ange Postecoglou's side as well as their London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea.

The report goes on to claim that Serie A side Napoli were the first team to submit an official bid for Dorgu, though the figure in question fell well short of Lecce's €30million (£25million) estimation of the player.

Spurs are said to have now made an approach for the 19-year-old, but will likely need to match the asking price of Dorgu's current team to get the deal over the line.

Dorgu made 34 appearances in all competitions for Lecce last season, contributing two goals and one assist in the process. The teenager's domestic exploits saw him gain his first call-ups to Denmark's Under-23 side, earning five caps throughout the course of the previous campaign. Senior Denmark boss Kasper Hjulmand labelled him as "very, very exciting" last season.

With Ben Davies' contract set to expire in the summer of 2025, it could be wise for Spurs to bring in a new left-back this summer to provide support for Destiny Udogie in the future.

With reports also stating that Lecce are waiting for a bid from Chelsea for Dorgu, Spurs may need to move quickly to secure the Dane's services this summer. With Levy's efforts to sign young talents clear, it could be in Dorgu's best interests to move to N17 before the window closes.

With Tottenham Hotspur set to use the summer transfer window to sign the next generation of stars in N17, the Premier League club have made an approach for a sought-after teenage talent.

Levy looks towards the future with new transfers

Whilst the arrival of big-name stars will no doubt dominate the headlines this summer, Spurs deserve plaudits for their clever business during the early passages of the transfer window.

One of the north London outfit's early moves saw them secure the signing of Archie Gray from Leeds United. The 18-year-old arrived at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium off the back of a breakout campaign that saw him pick up the Championship's Young Player of the Season award.

It is likely that Gray could be striking up a midfield partnership with fellow teenager Lucas Bergvall. The 18-year-old was signed from Swedish side Djurgarden back in February and joined Spurs officially at the start of this month.

Spurs' search for young talents has also seen them enter negotiations for Aston Villa's Jacob Ramsey. At 23 years of age, the Englishman is slightly older than Levy's previous signings, though Ramsey is still a player with a bright future ahead of him.

With Tottenham's pursuit of high-potential players showing little signs of slowing down, Spurs have now made an approach for a youth international from Serie A.

Spurs set to race for 19-year-old talent

As relayed by Sport Witness, the Italian press are claiming that Spurs are one of the numerous clubs in the picture to sign Lecce’s Patrick Dorgu this summer. The outlet states that the left-back is a target for Ange Postecoglou's side as well as their London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea.

The report goes on to claim that Serie A side Napoli were the first team to submit an official bid for Dorgu, though the figure in question fell well short of Lecce's €30million (£25million) estimation of the player.

Spurs are said to have now made an approach for the 19-year-old, but will likely need to match the asking price of Dorgu's current team to get the deal over the line.

Dorgu made 34 appearances in all competitions for Lecce last season, contributing two goals and one assist in the process. The teenager's domestic exploits saw him gain his first call-ups to Denmark's Under-23 side, earning five caps throughout the course of the previous campaign. Senior Denmark boss Kasper Hjulmand labelled him as "very, very exciting" last season.

With Ben Davies' contract set to expire in the summer of 2025, it could be wise for Spurs to bring in a new left-back this summer to provide support for Destiny Udogie in the future.

With reports also stating that Lecce are waiting for a bid from Chelsea for Dorgu, Spurs may need to move quickly to secure the Dane's services this summer. With Levy's efforts to sign young talents clear, it could be in Dorgu's best interests to move to N17 before the window closes.

As the transfer window enters its second month of being open and the return of the Premier League edges ever closer, teams are starting to become more active in the transfer market, and it's no different for Tottenham Hotspur.

The Lilywhites' only purchase thus far has been Archie Gray for a whopping £30m earlier this month, but over the last couple of weeks, the number of links to other exciting stars has only increased, and it looks like Daniel Levy and Co are going to be very busy over the next five weeks or so.

Based on recent reports, the North Londoners are preparing to advance their pursuit of a specific talent who could become Ange Postecoglou's own Martin Odegaard.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Football Insider, Tottenham have maintained their interest in Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze.

In fact, alongside Premier League rivals Liverpool, the report has revealed that the Lilywhites are now 'readying' a formal move for him once he returns from his post-Euro break.

If the North Londoners can position themselves ahead of the Reds over the coming weeks, they'll have to stump up around £60m to appease the Eagles.

It would represent a sizeable investment from Levy and Co, but given Eze's form last season and favourable comparisons to Odegaard, one worth making.

Eze's comparison to Odegaard and what he could bring to Spurs

So, before discussing what Eze could bring to Tottenham, it's worth examining this comparison to the captain of the enemy, Odegaard.

It stems from FBref, which compared players in similar positions in the 2022/23 Premier League season, created a list of the ten most comparable players for every player, and concluded that the Norwegian was the second most similar midfielder to the Englishman.

They came to this conclusion, and the best we can see it ourselves is by looking at their underlying numbers and the specific metrics in which they rank very closely, such as expected goals, assists, progressive carries, shots on target, passing accuracy, goal-creating actions, and clearances, all per 90.

However, while bringing in a player who shares some qualities with the Arsenal captain would be great, it is not the sole reason why Spurs should break the bank to land the "incredible" 26-year-old, as dubbed by teammate Joel Ward.

For example, one of the most impressive parts of the £100k-per-week gem's game is his level of output. In just 31 appearances for the Eagles last season, he scored 11 goals and provided six assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.82 games.

This impressive haul would've made him the second most productive player in Tottenham's squad last season, ahead of players like Richarlison, Brennan Johnson, and Dejan Kulusevski - imagine just how effective he could be in a full season under the progressive brilliance of Postecoglou.

Ultimately, while it's a lot of money, signing Eze would be the perfect way for Spurs to prove that they are going to be a serious proposition in the coming years.

There is less than a month until the Premier League returns, and while Tottenham Hotspur have already made the exciting signing of Archie Gray this summer, they'll need to bring in more players to help Ange Postecoglou realise his ambitions in North London.

The Australian led the Lilywhites to Europa League qualification last season, but with a few more quality players in the squad, it could have been the Champions League.

Fortunately, Daniel Levy and Co appear to be hard at work as, based on recent reports, the club are in the running to land a player who shone at Euro 2024 and would be the ideal rival for Brennan Johnson on the right.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Turkish publication Sabah Spor, Tottenham are one of several sides keen on landing Galatasaray star Baris Alper Ylimaz's services this summer.

Alongside the Lilywhites, the report claims that Arsenal are set to meet with the player's representatives to discuss a possible transfer. At the same time, Manchester United, Brighton & Hove Albion, Liverpool and Aston Villa are said to be 'closely following the player.'

While this level of interest in the 24-year-old is far from ideal for Levy and Co, the good news is that should they wish to pursue this transfer further, they will only need to make an offer in the region of €30m, which is about £25m, to secure the player's services.

It could be a complicated deal to get over the line, but based on Yilmaz's performances for Galatasaray and Turkey, it is worth pursuing - especially as he could help get even more out of Johnson.

How Yilmaz compares to Johnson

Now, if Spurs can get ahead of the chasing pack and bring the talented Yilmaz to the white side of North London this summer, they'll have an exciting attacker who has shown an ability to play on either the right or left wing at their disposal.

However, throughout last season, it became increasingly apparent that his best position is off the right, as he started 27 games there as opposed to 12 on the left. Should he move to N17, this would likely see him compete with Johnson for a place in the starting lineup.

So, with that in mind, how do the pair stack up against one another? Well, when it comes to the most important metric of all, output, it's rather close.

For example, the former Nottingham Forest ace scored five goals and provided ten assists in 38 appearances for the North Londoners, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 2.53 games.

In contrast, the Turkish superstar, whom Virgil van Dijk claimed was "difficult for every defender" to face, produced more goal involvements - seven goals and 12 assists - but did so in 55 appearances, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 2.89 games.

Ultimately, while it could prove challenging to land the Gala ace, the fact he managed to produce similar attacking numbers to Johnson shows that he'd be an ideal rival for the Welshman and the perfect option for Postecoglou to use off the bench or even from the start.

Moreover, his positional versatility could also see him used as a backup option for Son Heung-min or Timo Werner on the left, making his signature one worth fighting for.

As the Premier League campaign nears, Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly been approached by the representatives of a rival midfielder over a potential deal this summer.

Tottenham transfer news

After a mixed debut season which ultimately ended in failure to qualify for the Champions League, Ange Postecoglou and Spurs have endured a slow summer transfer window so far, welcoming just two fresh faces. The standout of their arrivals has undoubtedly been Archie Gray, who completed a move from Leeds United to join the already-arrived Lucas Bergvall.

The 18-year-old enjoyed an excellent season in the Championship last time out to emerge as one of the best young talents that English football has to offer. Earning a deserved move as a result, it was Spurs who swooped in to win the race for his heavily sought-after signature earlier this summer. The midfielder-turned-right-back featured for the first time in Spurs colours as they swept Hearts aside 5-1 in their first pre-season friendly.

Now potentially turning their attention to more experienced options, the Lilywhites have reportedly been offered the chance to sign a Premier League rival. According to Graeme Bailey for HITC, the representatives of Mason Mount have approached Spurs over a potential deal this summer, with Manchester United now reportedly open to selling the midfielder just one year on from his £60m arrival.

A Chelsea academy graduate, Mount's move to North London could certainly steal plenty of headlines but it remains to be seen whether Spurs would be willing to secure his signature and pay his reported £250,000-a-week salary. Nonetheless, there's no doubt that it would be one of the most interesting moves of the summer and one that may revive Mount's career.

"Superb" Mount would be perfect for Ange

Whilst things are yet to work out under Erik ten Hag, Mount could stand a better chance at rediscovering his best form under the guidance of Postecoglou. The Australian's high-energy system may suit the former Chelsea man perfectly, who would be provided the license to press high and finally find his creative intuition again, possibly next to James Maddison.

Even after a period to forget at Manchester United, it's worth noting that Mount still has plenty of fans around European football, with Kylian Mbappe once saying via The Metro when asked who he'd like to see France Football interview: "Gigi because I would like to know what he is going to do next, Messi, because he does not speak much, so we would discover things. Mason Mount, because he is a superb player that we don’t yet know much about."

It's quite the company and quite the praise for a player who desperately needs to find his form, whether that be at Manchester United or by completing a move away to Spurs this summer. With just over a month until the transfer window slams shut, Mount is one to watch.

This time last year Tottenham Hotspur fans were wondering whether they would finally be waving farewell to their beloved striker Harry Kane.

It was another trophyless campaign for the Lilywhites and even with Aussie Ange Postecoglou arriving on the scene, Kane didn't want any more of it.

So, by the middle of August, the England and Spurs' record goalscorer was a Bayern Munich player.

His exit didn't really come as a surprise in the end, as he left north London to the tune of £86m. What's happened since then?

Well, Spurs missed out on Champions League football. Both they and Bayern went trophyless but Kane did score a ridiculous haul of 44 goals in 45 matches.

Johan Lange and Co are yet to directly replace the centre forward but are seemingly making plans to do so this summer.

Spurs pushing to sign new striker

A number of strikers have been linked with Tottenham in recent weeks, most notably Santiago Gimenez of PSV Eindhoven and Brentford's Ivan Toney.

However, Toney isn't the only Premier League name they could snap up. According to Football Insider, the Londoners are continuing to 'keep tabs' on Bournemouth attacker Dominic Solanke.

It's stated that Spurs are in the market to sign an 'A-list' number 9, with manager Postecoglou now 'pushing' the club to complete a deal in the forthcoming weeks.

That said, they face competition from West Ham and Chelsea to sign a player who per other reports may cost around £60m.

How Solanke compares to Kane

Now, for a player who has scored just 29 goals in 134 Premier League games, you may well wonder what on earth we're smoking here.

How can a striker who has a record at the elite level like that be compared to Kane? Well, stick with us.

The fact of the matter is that at the age of 26, Solanke is now reaching his prime and importantly, seemingly getting better by the season.

So, he's beginning to score goals at a prolific rate. Not quite at the rate Kane does, we'll give you that, but there are some more striking similarities.

We'll use the help of former Bournemouth man Charlie Daniels for some assistance. Speaking about Solanke's game, he once said: "Dom combines the role of a No 9 and a No 10, a bit like Harry Kane does. He wants to stretch the game in behind but can also receive it to feet.

"His movement’s the same as Harry’s and they’ve the same intelligence. They both hold the ball up, they’re quite strong. Harry’s a more natural finisher but you can see the similarities.”

Do the numbers corroborate this? Let's have a gander.

A carry is considered progressive if the ball is moved towards the opponent's goal at least 10 yards from its starting point or is carried into the penalty area.

Their all-round game is pretty similar based on the data available to us. Solanke is more likely to carry the ball in a progressive manner and despite Kane's immense history of producing assists, it was the Cherries striker again who made more key passes.

That said, they have a similar number of touches, tackles and complete passes at a similar success rate. Neither are truly explosive but they're fantastic at holding the ball up and bringing others into play.

For a Spurs squad who like to play on the counter, that could be particularly fruitful for Postecoglou who could use Solanke as a focal point for willing runners like Heung-min Son and Brennan Johnson to drive beyond him.

Ange Postecoglou has come back from his punditry gig at Euro 2024 with some aplomb, leading Tottenham to successive victories to open their pre-season account.

Spurs defeated Hearts in some style last week, the Lilywhites seeing off their Scottish hosts 5-1. It was a fine evening for Djed Spence, who looked to have revived his career in north London and for 16-year-old Mikey Moore who found himself on the scoresheet.

That was followed up with a 2-0 with over QPR on Saturday afternoon as Postecoglou's young charges impressed again.

The team will soon head off on their travels to Asia, hopeful that by the time they return to the UK, another few signings have been wrapped up.

Latest Spurs transfer news

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is finally departing the English capital this summer, heading for Marseille in a deal that could be worth around £12m.

Spurs may already have the Dane's replacement, recently welcoming young Archie Gray to the club from Leeds.

Young English talent could be the order of the day for Johan Lange and Co who are now exploring a move for a £60m Premier League talent.

Indeed, with Football Transfers reporting this weekend that Aston Villa have registered interest in Dejan Kulusevski, they further detail that Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze is on their radar of those at Tottenham.

More specifically, they are 'exploring heavily the potential signing' of the 26-year-old. That said, the England international - who went to Euro 2024 - won't push for a move and a deal will only be sanctioned if they meet the player's release clause which stands at the aforementioned fee.

What Eze could offer to Spurs

Flair, excitement, pizzazz. This is one of the most exciting players to watch in the Premier League and he would be a fine signing for Spurs heading into the new season.

Capable of playing in a whole range of positions, most notably off the left and behind the striker, the Palace star dazzled on his way to 11 goals and six assists in all competitions last term.

Said to be an "unbelievable" talent who was "on a different planet" at times last term by BBC pundit Danny Murphy, Eze is a player who simply oozes confidence.

It certainly helps that he's up there among the Premier League's elite too. Indeed, according to FBref's similar player model for the English top-flight, two of the most 'similar' stars to the Eagles talisman are national team colleagues Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer.

So, how do they compare? Well, although Eze doesn't really play off the right as Saka and Palmer can, he certainly stars in the same pockets of space, weaving and slaloming his way past defenders in a similar fashion.

A pass is considered progressive if the distance between the starting point and the next touch is at least 10 meters closer to the opponent's goal or any completed pass into the penalty area.

So, you can see above how Eze boasts the best of both Palmer and Saka. Like the former he registers a similar number of key passes and is a particularly progressive passer of the ball too.

However, like Saka, he plays more crosses into the penalty box and isn't afraid to muck in with defensive work too, making a higher number of tackles compared to Chelsea star, Palmer.

The Premier League's Young Player of the Year is more of a goalscorer but they are certainly alike in other areas. Spurs could even be gaining an upgrade on the pair when it comes to take-ons. In that department Eze is elite.

This is certainly a signing that would make the rest of the division jealous. The Palace star possesses a range of tools that could take Tottenham's forward line to the next level.

Tottenham Hotspur have now reportedly accepted an offer to sell an experienced player who didn't want to put pen to paper on a new contract in North London this summer.

Tottenham transfer news

The Lilywhites have under a month until the Premier League campaign gets underway and they've arguably still got plenty of work to do. After failing to qualify for the Champions League last season, those in North London could certainly do with further additions on top of the young Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall. And rumours certainly suggest that they're well aware of that.

Recent reports have linked Spurs to the likes of Jacob Ramsey and Federico Chiesa in the last week in two deals that would undoubtedly hand Ange Postecoglou's side a major boost. A potential deal to sign Ramsey is particularly heating up, with rumours that Spurs are set to submit a bid worth £19m in an attempt to secure the Aston Villa midfielder's signature.

As the Lilywhites weigh up moves for reinforcements, however, negotiations to free up some room on their wage bill are reportedly already well underway. According to Fabrizio Romano, Spurs have accepted Marseille's €13.5/14m (£11/12m) offer to sign Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg this summer after the Dane decided that he did not want to extend his current contract in North London.

The midfielder struggled for starts in Ange Postecoglou's debut campaign and the emergence of Gray and reported interest in Ramsey may of increased his game time problem, making this summer an ideal time to move on.

"Excellent" Hojbjerg needs Tottenham exit

After making just eight Premier League starts last season, there are not many in the current Spurs squad who need a move away more than Hojbjerg. At 28 years old too, now is a better chance than ever to seal another big move in the form of Marseille. It's in Ligue 1 that the Dane can consistently show the form that earned him the praise of Postecoglou when he was on punditry duty for ITV at Euro 2024.

The Spurs boss praised his midfielder following Denmark's closely-fought 2-0 defeat against Germany at the last 16 stage, saying via HITC: “Denmark definitely would have got encouragement as much as what they did when they had the ball.

“They were always going to have to defend in periods. At the start, they were finding it really difficult to get out their half. Then they were making a lot more progress in the front third. Pierre Hojbjerg has been excellent in breaking up play and initiating it. “

That praise seemingly wasn't enough to keep hold of Hojbjerg, however, who looks destined to complete a move to Marseille before the summer transfer window slams shut at the end of next month.